Winning Ponies

All eyes will be on the Ohio Breds competing for a half a million dollars in the Best of Ohio Stakes. We brought back Ed Meyer the previous host of this show in a long career in Racing. He will give us his insight into the action tomorrow Friday at Belterra Park formally known as River Downs.

Ron Flatter has covered the Kentucky Derby since 2007 as a paddock reporter for ESPN Radio, which won an Eclipse Award (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_Award (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Derby)) for its 2009 broadcast. He’s been covering the Triple Crown this season and his observations can be read daily in Horse Racing Nation. We’ll ask Ron to share his most vivid memories of the first two jewels of racing’s 3-year-old season and how he sees things developing as we head for “The test of the Champion” in the Belmont Stakes. A man with international bloodlines that has covered famous sporting events from around the globe, Flatter will have plenty to share about his live in various aspects of the media. From Australia to America, his career has led him from homes in California, New York and now nestled in the hear of bluegrass country. He has also covered every Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup ( since 2007 and every Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and Arlington Million ) since2008. Flatter also cove

We have a plethora of Stakes races from Pimlico on both Friday and Saturday to handicap, so come on over and pull down your E-Z Win Forms, listen to the broadcast/podcast guests and dial up your Bet-U-S account and enjoy the action. The Grade 1 $1.5 million Preakness Stakes on Saturday is the focal point of the weekend. The 14 race card starts at 10:30 a.m. and in addition to the Preakness the afternoon offers three Grade 3 stakes, with the Preakness followed by the Grade1 UAE President’s Cup for Arabians. While Epicenter will be the center of attention at the betting windows, legitimate contenders will enter the starting gate including the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath. Whoever you land on, your wagering opportunities expand over the two day racing fest with the popular Black-Eyed Susan/Preakness Double. Friday showcases three Grade 3 races supporting the Grade 2 $250,000 Black-Eyed Susan. With thirteen 3-year-old fillies entered, there should be odds to your liking. They will be lo

Only one podcast featured trainer Eric Reed BEFORE the Kentucky Derby – Winninponies. After the Run for the Roses, Eric stopped his State Trooper escort to come over to our host John Engelhardt. Giving each other a big bearhug, Eric said, “My Man! I’ll be on your show this week too.” A man of his word, no matter how swamped he is with the media camped out along the entrance to his Mercury Training Facility, he will be our first guest. It's only a short time before movie producers are wrestling over the rights to “The Rich Strike Story.” We’ll let Eric describe his early years with his wife Kay and the building blocks to their success at blue-collar tracks to the creation of their Mercury Training Facility, the tragic fire where they lost 23 horses, and the shot in the arm they got from horsemen around to country to rebuild their facility. Oh yes, there’s a great story about winning the Kentucky Derby Eric needs to tell us about too! This year’s Kentucky Derby was a point in time for the spotlight to shine on

It's here! Kentucky Derby and Oaks days, let the racing begin. Two solid days of high stakes racing with the best competitors from around the world assembled beneath the Twin Spires of Churchill Downs. Well, we have assembled a top trio of nationally recognized handicappers representing every region of the U.S. to weigh in on their selections. First up will be TVG’s west coast-based Rich Perloff, who will deliver his opinions with the succinct style he developed back in his days as a college professor. Not assigned to any specific geographic area of the racing circuit, Rich is called upon to cover racing from coast to coast and passes along his observations with solid rationale. His ability to put horses from all points on the map in a place where they will compete together will be put to the test in the days ahead. Dan Illman of the Daily Racing Form will not be sipping Mint Juleps from Millionaire’s Row while picking the ponies this weekend and will be our second guest. He will be piloting the DRF starship

?Eric Reed is a lifetime horseman from a family of horsemen. His father Herbert trained for over 40 years apprenticing under the guidance of Mack Miller. Eric has trained since 1983 and has grown up with horses his entire life. The racing game has provided Eric and his wife Kay with unique, potentially career changing situations – none like the one they face in the days ahead. Like a kid waiting to get picked for a spot on the school yard baseball team, Eric is on the outside looking in, hoping to get in the Kentucky Derby game with his 3-year-old colt Rich Strike who sits three horses deep on the also-eligible list. What’s most amazing is not the fact that he has a Derby hopeful, it’s the fact that he is still in the racing game at all. In 2016, a devastating fire swept through one of the main barns at their Mercury Training Center and the Reed’s lost 23 thoroughbreds in the tragedy. Facing a mound of financial and emotional challenges after the gut-wrenching event, the Reeds had to give thought to changing

Matt Bernier's style and presence on “Horseplayers” led to a position with the Daily Racing Form, evolving into several on-air hosting appearances on major broadcasts ,including a recent trip to cover the rich Saudi Cup. Bernier’s meteoric rise through his appearances on DRF.com and television experience has grown into his own show on YouTube -“The Matt Bernier Show.” It’s hard to believe that he is currently airing his Episode 112! Matt’s delivery has really hit a comfort zone where he discusses intelligently and passionately the top races he reviews and previews. This week’s show highlighted his views on the Kentucky Oaks – and that’s where the discussion will begin. There has been some outstanding racing at the Oaklawn Park Meet in 2022 and there is a delicious, Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom awaiting an extremely talented field. Over half of the abbreviated field are millionaires including two champions – Letruska and Ce Ce. Nancy Ury-Holthus does an outstanding job of preparedness for each, and ever

Jay Privman covers the Southern California circuit plus such national events as the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup. He is the author of Breeders' Cup: Thoroughbred Racing's Championship Day and a contributor to Champions, and is a six-time winner of the Red Smith Award for best Kentucky Derby story, among numerous other writing honors. He joined Daily Racing Form in 1998. He will join John with his opinion about this year's Kentucky Derby. Our second guest is a newcomer to this show. His name Tom Dawson quarter Horse expert. Tom was Racing Secretary at Ruidoso Downs, Albuquerque and Sunland Park from 1972 to 1978; then he was Analyst for live QH racing telecasts for All American Network from 1974 to 1980. From 1981 to 2002 he was Analyst and Co-producer for Syndicated and ESPN QH live racing telecasts. From 1998 to 2006 he was also Racing correspondent for America's Horse, Racehorse Digest and Wire to Wire on ESPN. From 1987 to 2009 Tom was Lead Horse Racing producer for ESPN Thoroughbred racing (over 500 net

Long a fixture on the rail near the paddock at Del Mar, Tom Quigley has parlayed his perfect attendance at the races into a full-time, year-round job. It became known as Quigley's Corner and now has a sign in place during the race meet. Santa Anita offers 12 races and 5 are graded stakes events highlighted by the G1 $750,000 Santa Anita Derby. We will see several horses that have entered “The Bob Baffert Transfer Portal” in action. In the Derby, two stablemates to square off are Messier, a 2-time graded stakes winner coming off his seasonal debut win in the R.B. Lewis vs. Tabia, a $1.7 million colt who popped some eyes with career debut 103 Beyer. They will have their work cut out with Forbidden Kingdom in the field after winning all of the major stepping stones to this race. The G2 Santa Anita Oaks offers 100-40-20-10 Ky Oaks points. Adare Manor, another transfer from Baffert's barn, broke her maiden on third try and then won the Las Virgenes (G3) by 13 lengths. Also formerly trained by Baffert, Under the S

Pete Aiello is more than just the booming voice who has mastered the art of storytelling as a live event unfolds at Gulfstream Park, he is a keen student of the game. Pete will join us to pass along a few gems he may have unearthed through his binoculars while watching many of Saturday’s entrants in competition. Pete has a long day in store for him with the first of fourteen races starting at 11:30 a.m. There will be six graded stakes on the card headed by two 100-40-20-10 points races for the Kentucky Derby and Oaks. The post position draw for the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby was very fair to the top contenders with the short run to the first turn in the 1 1/8-mile race at Gulfstream Park. None of the four morning-line favorites drew outside post 7, which is where Holy Bull winner White Abarrio will break. He was established as the 3-1 second choice on the morning line behind 5-2 favorite Simplication, who came back from his second-place finish in the Holy Bull to win the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth with

Kevin Kilroy has been our “boots on the ground” reporter from the Fair Grounds this season as he performs his duties unearthing gems on the backstretch to share with the media. He’s been a busy man this week as the Fair Grounds will play host to 8stakes races on Saturday – 4 of them graded. Kentucky Derby and Oaks hopefuls can garner plenty of points now that we have entered into the 100-40-20-10 points stratosphere. The $1million Grade 2 Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby is a race ripe for a new star to shine. Asmussen trained Epicenter has become the hometown hero. He closed ’21 with a win in the Gun Runner here and he has already recorded a head-bob defeat in the Grade 3 Lecomte and went wire to wire with an easy win last out in the Grade 2 Risen Star. Asmussen could pull a Oaks-Derby double as champion Echo Zulu makes her seasonal debut in the Grade 2, $400,000 event. Kevin Kilroy is the Publicity Specialist at Fair Grounds, working with Joe Kristufek doing racing analysis, notes writing, and social media.

National Turf writer Gary West will be joining us in the first segment. He recently penned an article about the growth of the racing and breeding program in his current home state in the Lonestar State. Through his years of writing about racing, he has always kept an eye on Kentucky Derby hopefuls and we will have him weigh in on this year's top contenders. We will also ask Gary about the ‘Baffert Boondoggle” created by his participation in the Derby points races and what the future path of his stable may be. HorseTourney’s Eric Wing will join us to share his experiences at the National Handicapping Championship in Las Vegas this year. He will also update us on this week’s Handicapping Contests offered (a great opportunity for finding hidden winners with our E-Z Win Forms.) Eric and John will join forces to find the contenders and pretenders in two graded stakes at Oaklawn Park. First up in the newly named $200,000 Whitmore, named for the local legend himself. Appropriately, the top contenders have a fondne

Eric Hamelback is the CEO of the National Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association and will be our first guest. The annual HBPA Conference was recently held in Hot Springs and numerous topics that stand to affect the sport of horse racing for years to come. There was a thought-provoking opening speech by 86-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas that opened the event, stressing trainers to be “Ambassadors of Racing”. Key subjects that were addressed, that Eric will weigh in on include the status on the Horse Racing Integrity Act. Hamelback is the former general manager of Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs Farm and resides in Paris, Ky. with his wife Debra and two children. Originally from Frierson, Louisiana Hamelback attended Louisiana State University where he graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Systems. He and his family moved to Paris Kentucky in 2008 after living in the Versailles/Midway Kentucky area for 8 years and then in Ocala Florida for 5years. As CEO of the Nationa

Daily Racing Form’s Eclipse Award-winning Marty McGee will be our first guest. He’s been “boots on the ground” these past weeks on the backstretch of Gulfstream Park (when he’s not feet in the sand, drink in hand, outside of his bachelor bungalow in Hollywood. He’s seen most of the runners and spoken to the trainers and now he’s ready to tackle Saturday’s amazing card that offers eight graded stakes races including two important points races (50-20-10-5). The Gr. 2, $400,000 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth has drawn an overflow field of 3-year-old colts and geldings. There are angles galore that await handicappers. Gr. 1 winner Rattle N Roll will make his long-awaited seasonal debut for trainer Ken McPeek. Three local challengers that should get backing at the windows are Simplification and Mo Donegal, the 2-3 finishers in the Gr. 3 Holy Bull and Dean Delivers who earned a hard-fought second in the Gr. 3 Swale. There does seem to be a clear favorite in the Gr. 2, $200,000 Davona Dale Stakes for the 3-year-old

A native of Hot Springs, Ark., Nancy Ury-Holthus joined the broadcast team at Indiana Grand in 2014 as the on-air paddock analyst. She has served in that capacity for more than a decade, including a position as host and handicapper for TVG. She currently works as the on-air racing analyst and media coordinator at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas during the winter months. That pristine track in Hot Springs plays host on Saturday to two major Kentucky Derby and Oaks points races and Nancy will give us her “boots on the ground” insights. A $1 million purse and Derby Dreams has drawn a field of eleven 3-year-olds into the gate for the Rebel Stakes (G2). Trainer Bob Baffert has won this race eight times, including the last two with Concert Tour (2021) and Nadal (2020). The white-haired wonder appears to be holding all the cards once again as he comes into the race with the undefeated Newgrange. Derby points be damned, he’s running to collect the winner’s $600,000. The $300,000 Honeybee (G3) attracted a field that se

The National Thoroughbred Racing Association, Daily Racing Form, and the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters announced Jan. 6 the winners of the 2021 Media Eclipse Awards in six categories. One recipient is BloodHorse's Eric Mitchell. In Tracks Join Rallying Cry to End Cargo Shipping, Eric Mitchell investigated the deplorable conditions of racehorses shipped by boat in steel container boxes from the United States to Puerto Rico, and the response of American racetracks to this much-criticized practice. The article was published on Aug. 24, 2021. Eric will join John to share with us the many paths he had to take to create his Eclipse-Award winning story and give us any updates on the practice of this shipping. Matt Shifman has been a devoted fan of thoroughbred racing and handicapping since childhood, going to the races with his father at Aqueduct, Belmont Park, and Monmouth Park from their home in Central New Jersey. Since 2011, Matt has been the New York and Monmouth Park Correspondent at Horse Racing Nat

This week’s show has so much information we had to bring in three guests. Billy Reed, a well-known, accomplished sportswriter in Kentucky and a three-time Eclipse Award-winning turf writer, died Feb. 5 in Louisville, Ky. He was 79. He served as president of the National Turf Writers Association (now the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters) from 1988-90. His three Eclipse Awards came when writing for the Louisville Courier-Journal (1979), Lexington Herald-Leader (1988), and Thoroughbred Times (2008). Multiple Eclipse Award winner Jennie Rees worked alongside Reed covering racing in Louisville for decades. She will join us to put Reed’s career in perspective. Leading up to the Kentucky Derby, Byron King updates his weekly “Derby Dozen” on bloodhorse.com every Tuesday. He will join us on a regular basis as the Derby Preps take more focus leading up to the 1st Saturday in May. According to King, “In years past, a 15-length score in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes (G3) from a horse like Messier (https://www.bloodh

Have a seat, get comfortable, curb your enthusiasm, and tighten your seat belt as we start the roller coaster ride called “The Road to the Kentucky Derby and Oaks.” This week, there are five “points” races (10-4-2-1) from coast to coast – no better time to pull down those EZ-Win Forms from winningponies.com. Brad Free is based in Southern California covering Santa Anita, Del Mar, Fairplex, and Hollywood Park. He joined Daily Racing Form in 1992 and is the author of Handicapping 101: Finding the Right Horses and Making the Right Bets. Brad provides a daily analysis of the races. Each day during the meet, Brad Free offers his insight and analysis of the entire card. Santa Anita will offer points for both sexes on Sunday when they present the Gr. 3 Las Virgenes for fillies and the Gr. 3 Robert B. Lewis for colts and geldings. We’ll ask Brad to go outside his comfort zone and analyze the Gr. 3 Withers Stakes at Aqueduct. Our second guest handicapper will be turf writer Bob “Railbird” Roberts who likes to take

The man behind the microphone at Gulfstream Park, Pete Aiello will join us to dissect their most outstanding day of racing. There will be six graded stakes races for Pete to put paint with his colorful litany of story lines and pinpoint race calls. In what may go down as one of the best races of the year 11 months from now, will pit two of the most talented horses currently in training against each other – probable 2021 Horse of the Year Knicks Go against the near-perfect Life is Good in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup. Leading up to the day’s main event is a talent-laden undercard. The two turf tests are the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational and Grade 3 Pegasus Filly& Mare. The competition continues on the main track with the Grade 2 Inside Information; Grade3 Fred W. Hooper; and Grade 3 Wm. McKnight. Pete will familiarize us with the top competitors of each test. Byron King from the Blood-Horse will weigh in on the much-anticipated Pegasus World Cup and then take a turn on the weekend’s handicapping

Kevin Kilroy is the Publicity Specialist at Fair Grounds, working with Joe Kristufek doing racing analysis, notes writing, and social media. A two-time National Horseplayers Championship qualifier, he finished 21st in 2021. He specializes in trip handicapping, creative analysis, and finding reasons a horse will improve. His love of the sport began in Chicago at Hawthorne Race Course and Arlington Park. Prior to this, he taught for fifteen years, most recently at the Kansas City Art Institute. An author of three books, his novel The Chicago Window came out in 2020 from Spuyten Duyvil Books. Follow him on Twitter/Instagram @KilroyHorseFG. There are two graded stakes races at the Fair Grounds on Saturday and Kevin will join John in analyzing the races. The $150,000 Louisiana at 1 1/16 will feature two stars of 2021 that are making their 4-year-old debut. Brad Cox-trained Mandaloun and Steve Asmussen-trained Midnight Bourbon, two millionaires who relish the long stretch of the Fair Grounds where they traded wi